Talking to children about death
Telling a child that someone close to them has died can be an overwhelming prospect. Following the death of a loved one it’s difficult to know how much information to tell children, and the best way to say it. It’s natural to want to protect children from the pain of grief however it is vital […]
Overcoming the fear of dying
Have you heard of thanatophobia? It’s a term used to describe the fear of death. We’ve spoken about necrophobia, the fear of funerals, in a previous blog, which you can read HERE. Necrophobia can be put down to a range of causes, including social anxiety around groups of people, regrets one might have, or simply having […]
What to do with your loved one’s ashes?
Cremation is a very popular choice among Brits. In our blog last month we told you that, in 2019, 78% of funerals in the UK were cremations. The ashes that are left at the end of a cremation are called cremains and it is up to you what you choose to do with them. During […]
Going green with eco-friendly funerals
We live in a world where sustainability and ‘being green’ are finally at the forefront of many conversations and ways of living. But while most of us do what we can to live our lives in the most environmentally friendly way possible, how many of us have thought about continuing to be green even after […]
Talking about graves: a final resting place
A history of headstones A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is one of the oldest forms of funerary art, used to mark out a grave of the deceased. They are used for burials across many religions and faiths including Christianity, Judaism and Islam. While we use the terms interchangeably today, they were once different things. Originally […]
The Bucket List
Bucket lists. We’ve all heard of them, but how many of us have made one and how successful is it proving? The dictionary definition of a bucket list is; ‘a list of the things you want to do before you reach a certain age, or before you die’. It comes from the phrase, ‘to kick […]
Being in a Good Place to Die
We mention a lot here at Austins about the importance of talking about death and opening up to others about your thoughts, worries and wants before the time comes. There is a national campaign surrounding this called Dying Matters Awareness Week, which takes place each May. Last year’s theme was ‘Dying to be heard’, which […]
Small but beautiful funerals
Since the start of the pandemic, many families have had to limit the number of mourners that can attend their loved ones’ funerals due to strict Covid rules. Last week, we heard the very sad news of the passing of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The funeral will be televised and, as […]
Arranging funerals in Covid times
At the end of January, the UK marked the loss of more than 100,000 people to have died within 28 days of an infection with COVID-19. This was a terrible milestone that none of us could have imagined we would reach even just a year ago. According to data from the ZOE COVID Symptom Study, […]
Funeral flowers and floral tributes
Celebrations or commiserations, happy times or sad, flowers do a wonderful job of saying what we sometimes can’t find the words for. They are a symbol of hope and love; in the words of French artist Henri Matisse, “There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” Throughout history flowers have been used […]
